Breadcrumb

Avoid Common Expensing Mistakes

Review these key expensing policies before you travel to avoid costly errors.

Confirm trip approval

Be sure to obtain all travel approvals and documentation from the appropriate designee in your DLC prior to your trip. You are not permitted to approve your own travel.

Use your MIT Travel Card

The MIT Travel Card makes it easier for you to pay for business travel expenses, eliminates the need for advances and reimbursements, and decreases your out-of-pocket expenses. Be sure your card is activated before you leave, and don’t forget to memorize the PIN number. Learn more about using the MIT Travel Card.

Avoid charges that MIT won’t reimburse

Some miscellaneous expenses are reimbursable by MIT but are unallowable on sponsored projects. Some other expenses cannot be reimbursed under any cost object. Refer to Kuali Coeus if you have any questions about whether a sponsored project allows reimbursement of particular travel expenses.

Allowable and reimbursable under a sponsored project:

checked baggage fee

overweight baggage fee

oversized baggage fee

change fee

curbside check-in fee

fuel charge fee

confirmed same-day standby fee

paper ticket fee

spousal travel when the spouse is formally representing MIT (requires prior approval from the Office of the Provost)

seat fee

Reimbursable by MIT but unallowable under and cannot be charged to a sponsored project without specific approval from the sponsor:

upgrade fees, including “Economy Plus” (must be approved by your DLC)

airfare difference

blanket fee

pillow fee

code share flights when the designator code is a foreign carrier (code sharing is a mechanism by which a U.S.-certified carrier leases space on an aircraft of a foreign carrier)

alcohol (must be approved by your DLC)

prospective student visits

fundraising

resource development travel

entertainment (must be approved by your DLC)

gifts in lieu of hotel stay to guest or customary gift (must be approved by your DLC)

membership in airline clubs, such as the Admirals Club (you must seek reimbursement through VPF Accounts Payable with a “Request a Reimbursement”)

All expenses under the following trip purposes are unallowable (these trips cannot be charged to a sponsored project):

resource development

retreat

prospective student visit

president travel

fundraising

Collect detailed receipts

You must submit itemized receipts for all travel expenses in excess of $75. In addition, you must submit itemized receipts for the following expenses regardless of the amount:

meals or other expenses that include alcohol

business meeting meals

car rentals

hotel

airfare

all local travel and dining—Boston-area expenses with no airfare, Amtrak, or overnight stays—(“Local Travel and Meetings” trip purpose in Concur)

Receipts are necessary for post-trip reconciliation of expenses because your expenses may include unallowable or non-reimbursable charges. If you don’t have an itemized receipt as required above (and you have attempted to obtain one), change the expense type to a “non-recoverable expense” (allocated to a non-sponsored cost object) in the Concur reporting system and attach a Missing Receipt Affidavit.

To charge one of the above expenses with no itemized receipt to a sponsored cost object, you must obtain approval from the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) or the sponsor.

Submit your report within 30 days

You (or the designated person within your DLC) must submit an expense report with all required documentation within 30 days of your return.

Retain receipts

To ensure the integrity of MIT’s travel documentation system, your DLC should retain and keep on file original receipts associated with Concur trips for the current fiscal year plus one additional year. This is necessary for audit purposes and is critical for travel under sponsored research projects.

The Details

Be sure to obtain all travel approvals and documentation from the appropriate designee in your DLC prior to your trip. You are not permitted to approve your own travel.

Use your MIT Travel Card

The MIT Travel Card makes it easier for you to pay for business travel expenses, eliminates the need for advances and reimbursements, and decreases your out-of-pocket expenses. Be sure your card is activated before you leave, and don’t forget to memorize the PIN number. Learn more about using the MIT Travel Card.

Avoid charges that MIT won’t reimburse

Some miscellaneous expenses are reimbursable by MIT but are unallowable on sponsored projects. Some other expenses cannot be reimbursed under any cost object. Refer to Kuali Coeus if you have any questions about whether a sponsored project allows reimbursement of particular travel expenses.

Allowable and reimbursable under a sponsored project:

checked baggage fee

overweight baggage fee

oversized baggage fee

change fee

curbside check-in fee

fuel charge fee

confirmed same-day standby fee

paper ticket fee

spousal travel when the spouse is formally representing MIT (requires prior approval from the Office of the Provost)

seat fee

Reimbursable by MIT but unallowable under and cannot be charged to a sponsored project without specific approval from the sponsor:

upgrade fees, including “Economy Plus” (must be approved by your DLC)

airfare difference

blanket fee

pillow fee

code share flights when the designator code is a foreign carrier (code sharing is a mechanism by which a U.S.-certified carrier leases space on an aircraft of a foreign carrier)

alcohol (must be approved by your DLC)

prospective student visits

fundraising

resource development travel

entertainment (must be approved by your DLC)

gifts in lieu of hotel stay to guest or customary gift (must be approved by your DLC)

membership in airline clubs, such as the Admirals Club (you must seek reimbursement through VPF Accounts Payable with a “Request a Reimbursement”)

All expenses under the following trip purposes are unallowable (these trips cannot be charged to a sponsored project):

resource development

retreat

prospective student visit

president travel

fundraising

Collect detailed receipts

You must submit itemized receipts for all travel expenses in excess of $75. In addition, you must submit itemized receipts for the following expenses regardless of the amount:

meals or other expenses that include alcohol

business meeting meals

car rentals

hotel

airfare

all local travel and dining—Boston-area expenses with no airfare, Amtrak, or overnight stays—(“Local Travel and Meetings” trip purpose in Concur)

Receipts are necessary for post-trip reconciliation of expenses because your expenses may include unallowable or non-reimbursable charges. If you don’t have an itemized receipt as required above (and you have attempted to obtain one), change the expense type to a “non-recoverable expense” (allocated to a non-sponsored cost object) in the Concur reporting system and attach a Missing Receipt Affidavit.

To charge one of the above expenses with no itemized receipt to a sponsored cost object, you must obtain approval from the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) or the sponsor.

Submit your report within 30 days

You (or the designated person within your DLC) must submit an expense report with all required documentation within 30 days of your return.

Retain receipts

To ensure the integrity of MIT’s travel documentation system, your DLC should retain and keep on file original receipts associated with Concur trips for the current fiscal year plus one additional year. This is necessary for audit purposes and is critical for travel under sponsored research projects.

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Atlas, MIT’s self-service and administrative systems hub, provides an entry point for accessing MIT’s financial systems and tools. The VPF website will guide you through the related transactions and provide you with information and resources you need to complete your tasks.